Community-based Sustainable Financing System in Gita Nada Marine Recreational Park West Nusa Tenggara - Indonesia

Gita Nada Marine Recreational Park (MRP) is a marine protected area in West Nusa Tenggara with 21.556 ha, established in 2016 by the West Nusa Tenggara Governor Decree Number 523-505. Prior to the establishment of the MPA,... [ view full abstract ]

Gita Nada Marine Recreational Park (MRP) is a marine protected area in West Nusa Tenggara with 21.556 ha, established in 2016 by the West Nusa Tenggara Governor Decree Number 523-505. Prior to the establishment of the MPA, stakeholder mapping was conducted in 2015 to increase the MPA effectiveness. We identified several stakeholders that could contribute significantly to improve management effectiveness of Gita Nada MRP. They are private sectors from tourism entrepreneur, provincial government, and community surveillance groups. To create a collaborative management, management board of Gita Nada MRP established a local organization named Deep Blue Sea Foundation in May 2016. The committee members consist of community surveillance groups, coastal communities, and fishermen who lived around the MPA. Socialization and supporting request from the private sector was conducted from October to November 2017. An agreement between provincial government, tourism actors, and Deep Blues Sea Foundation was developed in December 2017. This agreement accommodates contributions from tourism entrepreneurs to support monitoring surveillance activities inside the MPA by providing budget and gasoline. Deep Blue-sea foundation is also given a sub-grant to establish Eco Blue Resto Apung (floating restaurant) as a business unit of the organization. The agreement of collaboration is a decent milestone as a model of sustainable financing system in managing Gita Nada MRP.